Hand-bag catch



B. P. CULLEN AND M. J. WOCHNA.

HAND BAG CATCH. APPLICATION FILED APR.29, I920. v

Patented J uly, H, 1922.

fi ,M.,.V 8 w E a a H fl m W 9 my; Mum m 1 1 H j Z 8 mg 2 W A fl n W e .M 1 J n fl fl 7 K J E WIT 8E8 BERNARD l. CULLEN AND-MATTHEW J. 'WOCHNA, OFv JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

HAND-BAG CATCH.

Applicationfiled April 29,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, BERNARD P. CUL- LEN and MATTHEW J. 00mm, both citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Jersey City, in'the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Hand-Bag Catch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in catches for securing the frame jaws of a hand bag, purse,-pocket book or the like, in closed position and also to a means for releasing the catch and opening the jaws.

The invention is particularly designed for use in connection with ladies hand bags or purses, which are provided with chain, cord'or leather handles by which the bag, is carried. In the form of catches now employed for securing the frame jaws together, the means for releasing the catch is permanently secured to said jaws and readily accessible for the operation of pick pockets and thieves.

It is one of the principal objects therefore of the present invention, to provide a catch in which the means for releasing the same is formed as a removable element which is preferably attached to the handle and normally covered by the hand of the owner while carrying the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a catch which is adapted to co-act with the releasingielement or key to afford means for initially separating the aws. J A still further object of the present invention is to provide in a hand bag having a separate releasing element, a jaw which is provided with a plurality of similar key hole openings, only one of which registers with the catch provided on the opposite jaw, in order to, baffle attempts of unauthorized persons in opening the same.

Vith the above recited and other objects in view, some of which will be more apparent hereafter, reference is made to the following description, claims and accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hand bag equipped with the invention and illustrating the manner in which the key is concealed when the same is being carried.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1922.

1920. Serial no. 377,664.

of the frame jawprovided with the catch jaws 11 and 12. The frame jaw 12 has secured thereto the handle 13 by which the bag is carried. In the specific jaws illustrated, the same are preferably constructed of channel steel orany other suitable metal to provide the outer walls 14, inner walls 15, and connecting walls 16. The inner wall 15' of thejaw 11 isvertically slotted as at 17 for the reception of the shank 18 of the spring catch 19 which is preferably riveted as at 20' to the inner side of the wall 16. The outerfreeextremity of the shank 18 is-provided with a head 21. The shank 18'is curved downwardly from its juncture with the main body portion of the catch to-present a substantially arcuate upper surface 22. The wall 16 of the frame jaw 12 is provided with a plurality of vertical openings 23 one of which is disposed directly in alignment with the head 21 of the catch when the jaws are in closed position. The wall 15 of the frame jaw 12 is provided with an opening 2 1 therethrough which is preferably semi-circular, the restricted portion of which is disposed upwardly toward the wall 16. When the jaws are closed the head 21 is projected through the opening 24, the same being depressed by the curvature of the opening during the closing operation and adapted to spring upwardly toward the restricted portion of the opening after having passed therethrough, due to the inherent resiliency of the material from which it is formed. The key 25 which is attached to the handle at the medial portion thereof is normally covered by the hand of the owner when carrying the bag. When it is necessary to open the bag the key is inserted through the proper opening 23, that is the opening which is disposed directly above the head 21 and a downward pressure is exerted thereon to depress the head and shank until the head reaches the widened portion of the opening 24; further downward pressure will tend to effect separation of the frame jaws due to the contact of the key extremity with the arcuate surface 22 of the catch, said arcuate surface presenting substantially a cam surface.

It will thus be seen that when the owner is carrying the bag the key is obstructed and no means is presented by which the bag can be conveniently opened. If however an unauthorized person should attempt to use another key to open the bag, he would be baffled due to the fact that he would be unaware of which one of the openings was the proper one.

While there has been shown and described a single and preferred embodiment of the invention, no limitation is made to the precise details of construction herein exhibited and it is understood that variations and modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to when found expedient.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a hand bag, including a pair of coacting separable frame jaws, of a headed spring catch carried by one jaw, the other jaw having an irregular shaped opening therein, the walls of said opening being engageable with the catch to depress the same and permit its entrance therebetween, said catch adapted to interlock with the walls of said opening after its entrance therebetween, means concealing said catch when the jaws are closed, and one of said frames having an opening therein permitting the introduction of a tool for releasing said catch.

2. In combination, a hand bag having a plurality of separable frame jaws adapted to be secured together, a concealed catch carried by one of the jaws and engageable with the other jaw for securing said jaws in closed relation, the latter aw having a plurality of similar openings therethrough, one of which operatively registers with the catch when the jaws are in engaged position, a key being adapted to be inserted through said opening to coact with said engaged catch for successively releasing the same and positively effecting an initial separation of the frame aws.

3. In combination, a hand bag having separable frame jaws, a catch carried by and concealed by one of the aws adapted to coact with the remaining jaw for securing the same in closed relation, said remaining jaw having a plurality of similar openings, one of which is disposed in alignment with the catch when the jaws are in closed position,

said opening adapted to receive a key insert-able therethrough for releasing the catch, said catch having a cammed surface with which the key is adapted to coact for posi tively effecting initial relative separation of the jaws upon completion of the releasing operation.

1. The combination with a hand bag frame, and normally concealed locking means for retaining said frame in closed position, of a tool insertable through the frame to disengage the locking means, said frame having an entrance opening therein receiving said tool, and having a plurality of false entrance openings therein adapted to hinder the unauthorized releasing of the locking means.

BERNARD P. GULLEN. MATTHEW J. WOGHNA. 

